# NTSB CEN10IA535: Embraer 500, N226CP, Brenham, TX, September 10, 2010

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: September 10, 2010, 12:52 local (17:52 UTC)
- Place: Brenham, TX
- Coordinates: 30.218334, -96.371109 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.2183&lon=-96.3711&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Prior to flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/100) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Prior to flight: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report February 12, 2013
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: CENIPA - BRAZIL, FAA - Accident Investigation Division, Embraer, Meggitt Aircraft Braking Systems
- NTSB case key (mKey): 77260
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN10IA535
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/77260/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77260
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10IA535

## Probable cause

The pilots’ decision to depart with a known failed brake control unit.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Flight crew (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md)
- [Landing gear system: landing gear brakes system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023240): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure; cases with it: [All aircraft, 92 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023240/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Prior to flight: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md)
- [Takeoff: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330); cases with it: [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330); cases with it: [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230); cases with it: [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The crewmembers reported that they were still on the ground and noticed a crew alerting system (CAS) message indicating a brake failure. They decided to continue their departure, and the CAS message stayed active for the entire flight. After touchdown, the co-pilot was flying the airplane when he discovered that the brakes did not work, and the airplane began skidding when he pulled the emergency parking brake handle. The airplane was moving about 50 to 60 knots when both tires blew. While the airplane was still skidding on the runway, the nose rotated about 120 degrees to the left and the airplane exited the left side of the runway while moving sideways to the right. The right main landing gear collapsed after contacting the soft ground on the side of the runway. A postaccident examination of the brake control unit (BCU) revealed a fault on the printed circuit board that led to an open circuit for a component installed on the board. The open circuit caused the failure of the BCU and the loss of normal braking. An examination of the remaining systems revealed no anomalies.

## Factual narrative

On September 10, 2010, about 1252 central daylight time, N226CP, an Embraer 500 (Phenom 100) multiengine corporate jet airplane, received minor damage after a runway excursion during a landing at Brenham Municipal Airport (11R), Brenham, Texas. The pilot and co-pilot were not injured. The airplane was owned by Vader LLC, North Augusta, South Carolina, and was operated by a private individual. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the incident and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The cross country flight departed Tucson International Airport (TUS), Tucson, Arizona, about 0830 mountain standard time, destined for 11R. The crewmembers reported that when the airplane was still on the ground at TUS they had a crew alerting system (CAS) message for BRK FAIL which they unsuccessfully attempted to reset. They decided to continue their departure and reported that the CAS message stayed active for the entire flight. The crewmembers also reported that the pilot was flying the airplane from the left seat for most of the flight and she conducted the global positioning system (GPS) approach to a straight-in landing on the runway. Just before landing the co-pilot took over and after touchdown discovered that he had “no brakes”. The airplane began skidding after he pulled the emergency parking brake (EPB) handle. The co-pilot reported the airplane continued to skid even after he pushed down and stowed the EPB handle. The airplane was moving about 50 to 60 knots when both tires blew. While still skidding on the runway the nose rotated about 120 degrees to the left and the airplane exited the left side of the runway while moving sideways to the right. The right main landing gear collapsed after contacting the soft ground on the side of the runway. Both crewmembers then exited thru the cabin door. Data from the flight data recorder (FDR) shows that the CAS message for BRK FAIL appeared when the airplane was still on the ground at TUS and before the second engine had been started. The FDR data also showed that after touchdown at 11R both wheels were rotating after the EPB handle was stowed. The brake control unit (BCU) was removed and destructively examined. A fault was found on the printed circuit board which led to an open circuit for a component installed on the board. The open circuit caused the failure of the BCU and the loss of normal braking. An examination of the remaining systems revealed no anomalies. The pilot reported that the incident could have been avoided if they had waited longer before using the emergency brake. The co-pilot reported that they should not have departed from TUS with the unresolved CAS message.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N226CP (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: EMBRAER 500 (Phenom 100)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 50000071
- Airframe hours: 37
- Engines: PWC PW617F-E 1695 lbs thrust turbo fan; PWC PW617F-E 1695 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: TUS, Tucson, AZ
- Destination: 11R, Brenham, TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: 11R, Brenham Municipal Airport, runway 16, 6,003 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 54; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review October 30, 2009; seat: left; flight hours: 1,627 total, 54 in this make and model, 1,408 as pilot in command, 44 in the last 90 days, 16 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours
- Co-pilot; age 67; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review October 30, 2009; seat: right; flight hours: 7,026 total, 40 in this make and model, 3,206 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days, 13 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 220° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observed at: 11R

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Incident 20100910045259I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100910045259I), Sep 10, 2010: Embraer-Emp EMB-500, Brenham, TX, Minor damage. Pilot stated upon touch down there was no brakes. Pilot allowed owner, who is a commercial rated pilot to apply emergency brakes. Aircraft began to skid, pilot…

## Docket (21 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 12, 2012, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77260. 12.8 MB in all.

- Summary of on-site and follow-up examinations by the NTSB investigator in charge (item 1, .PDF, 64 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40383612&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Summary%20of%20on-site%20and%20follow-up%20examinations%20by%20the%20NTSB%20investigator%20in%20charge-Master.PDF
- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 2, .PDF, 625 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40380299&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Crewmember Telephone Interview on September 10, 2010 (item 3, .PDF, 33 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40380327&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Crewmember%20Telephone%20Interview%20on%20September%2010,%202010-Master.PDF
- Crewmember Telephone Interviews on October 7 and 12, 2010 (item 4, .PDF, 38 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40383608&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Crewmember%20Telephone%20Interviews%20on%20October%207%20and%2012,%202010-Master.PDF
- Flight Data Recorder 10 - Specialist's Factual Report (item 5, .PDF, 226 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40359110&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Flight%20Data%20Recorder%2010%20-%20Specialist%27s%20Factual%20Report-Master.PDF
- Flight Data Recorder 10 - Attachment 1 - Tabular Data - Flight - (CSV Format) (item 6, ZIP, 982 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40359111&FileExtension=zip&FileName=Flight%20Data%20Recorder%2010%20-%20Attachment%201%20-%20Tabular%20Data%20-%20Flight%20-%20(CSV%20Format)-Master
- Cockpit Voice Recorder 12 - Specialist's Factual Report (item 7, .PDF, 127 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40383643&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Cockpit%20Voice%20Recorder%2012%20-%20Specialist%27s%20Factual%20Report-Master.PDF
- Witness Statements (item 8, .PDF, 457 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40380328&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statements-Redacted.PDF
- Quick Reference Handbook (QRH) - selected pages showing procedures for ANTI-SKID FAIL and BRK FAIL and selected pages showing landing performance and landing distance correction for abnormal landing (item 9, .PDF, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40380348&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Quick%20Reference%20Handbook%20(QRH)%20-%20selected%20pages%20showing%20procedures%20for%20ANTI-SKID%20FAIL%20and%20BRK%20FAIL%20and%20selected%20pages%20showing%20landing%20performance%20and%20landing%20distance%20correction%20for%20abnormal%20landing-Master.PDF
- MEL Guidance for CAS Messages (item 10, .PDF, 146 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40383605&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=MEL%20Guidance%20for%20CAS%20Messages-Master.PDF
- Embraer Phenom - Flight Operations Support Letter, dated November 11, 2009 (item 11, .PDF, 190 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40383606&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Embraer%20Phenom%20-%20Flight%20Operations%20Support%20Letter,%20dated%20November%2011,%202009-Master.PDF
- FAA Safety Alert for Operators SAFO 06102 - SUBJECT: Landing Performance Assessments at Time of Arrival (Turbojets) (item 12, .PDF, 58 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40380349&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Safety%20Alert%20for%20Operators%20SAFO%2006102%20-%20SUBJECT%3A%20Landing%20Performance%20Assessments%20at%20Time%20of%20Arrival%20(Turbojets)-Master.PDF
- Map (item 13, .PDF, 35 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40380306&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Map-Master.PDF
- Photo 1 - Showing location of initial skid marks on the runway (item 14, .PDF, 217 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40380315&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20-%20Showing%20location%20of%20initial%20skid%20marks%20on%20the%20runway-Master.PDF
- Photo 2 - Showing uneven skid marks on the runway surface (item 15, .PDF, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40380318&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20-%20Showing%20uneven%20skid%20marks%20on%20the%20runway%20surface-Master.PDF
- Photo 3 - Disabled airplane in the grass on the side of the runway (item 16, .PDF, 337 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40380320&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203%20-%20Disabled%20airplane%20in%20the%20grass%20on%20the%20side%20of%20the%20runway-Master.PDF
- Photo 4 - Damage to the left main landing gear tire (item 17, .PDF, 5.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40380323&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%204%20-%20Damage%20to%20the%20left%20main%20landing%20gear%20tire-Master.PDF
- Photo 5 - Damage to the right main landing gear and tire (item 18, .PDF, 487 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40380324&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%205%20-%20Damage%20to%20the%20right%20main%20landing%20gear%20and%20tire-Master.PDF
- Photo 6 - Damage to the partially collapsed right main landing gear. (item 19, .PDF, 249 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40380325&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%206%20-%20Damage%20to%20the%20partially%20collapsed%20right%20main%20landing%20gear.-Master.PDF
- Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 20, .PDF, 420 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40380403&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-Redacted.PDF
- Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 (item 21, .PDF, 343 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40383614&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.15-Redacted.PDF

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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